


Send me back

by nnsrhndhj



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Business, Character Death, College, Death, F/M, Family, Family Feels, Fluff, Incest, Incest Kink, Interracial Relationship, Lemon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pseudo-Incest, Sex, Shower Sex, Students, Uncle-Niece Relationship, Uncle/Niece Incest
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-08-01
Packaged: 2020-01-23 13:17:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18550549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nnsrhndhj/pseuds/nnsrhndhj
Summary: A death brings two people who were not supposed to be, together.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello lovely people. Please let me know already what you think. I just love to know your thoughts and interact with you guys. If you liked it I would be honored if you voted or left a comment. Much love Xx

Eyes were following the moving feet, which were causing the whole floor to vibrate. Arms flying through the air, some looking like fine and filigrane ballerinas, while others made a much more down to earth impression with their moves. Flashy lights blinded dancing people, causing them some danger to bump into each other. A rosy chiffon fabric in form of a bell hovered over the dance floor, moving gracely. From afar an ice blue gaze wandered over the the stumping feet, finally fixing on the silver shoes hidden under the rosy chiffon. The rosy chiffon bell wandered upwards showing a torso hidden by white fabric, also putting white layers over the shoulders. A red rose decorated the middle of the chest, wearing the princess dress. The moment the blue eyes captured the face, they were caught by the deer big brown eyes. Panning the blue gaze away, feeling the big deer eyes approaching him. He felt a warm hand grabbing his chair lean. The man's deep and smoky voice, sitting in front of him halled over the whole round table "Honey you look like a princess ballerina from those jewelry boxes." "Aw, thank you uncle Khalid. Are you guys having fun?" Uncle Khalid threw his pointing finger around in the air "This party is great and you brother is a lucky guy, marrying such a juicy-" he said when an older lady hit her hand on the table "Khalid, old man. Behave!" He smacked his lips while rolling his eyes. After getting back into shape he almost shouted to be heard through the music "Well we are having fun, but Connor here was first of all super late and he is sitting there like a dead ghost." The princess like figure raised her eyebrows "First of all, what is a dead ghost? And secondly, I can figure that out, don't worry." Her hand detached from the chair lean and got in contact with  Connor's suit collar. At the touch he furrowed his eyebrows and licked his lips, looking to the side. "So, uncle Connor don't you want to dance?" She detached her touch from his suit and took a seat next to him, so Connor was finally able to get a full view of Norah. She smiled at him widely, while supporting her chin in her hand. He raised his eyebrows in expecting understanding about his refusal. He shook his head "Nah, I am not really the dance type." She pushed her bottom lip out and poked him in the shoulder "Aw, do we have someone with two left feet here?" she teased him. Her small tease elicited a grin from Connor, which made him look to the side in timidity. She finally smiled at him brightly "Looks much better uncle Connor. Keep smiling." Her warm words got through him and let him settle his grin into a genuine smile. Norah let her hand glide over the chair leans around the table. It sounded like she sang her last words "I am not gonna force anyone!", before she hovered her way to the next table. The night went by in a hot and people were having fun.

"Adam! Adam," Norah waved her hand at her older brother "look this way!" She held her phone so she could take a picture from her brother, who was the groom and her new sister-in-law named Georgia. Adam had ashy blonde hair and a lighter complexion, much different from Norah who had long brown hair and big, round deer-like eyes and tanned skin which she obviously got from her mother. The only thing they had in common was their brown eye color, which alle three of the siblings had. Her little brother Freddie, on the other hand resembled her and their mother much more than Adam. Adam and his wife Hawa, which was arabic and meant Eve looked her way and smiled for the picture. Both, Adam and Eve's names always offered the ground for some jokes, such as  _a match made in heaven_. A tall but thin man with cast-iron eyes planted himself next to Adam. His shoulders signalized how tensed his whole stature was. But it seemed rather conditioned over years and so natural. A woman with long brown hair but much smaller than the tensed tall guy, moved next to Eve. She looked a lot like Norah, who obviously was her mother. The photographer was about to take a picture when Amalia, the mother raised her hand "Wait, wait!" She rushed over to her husband, to adjust his fly "Nathaniel you have to take care of how you look." she said as she stretched her body on her feet to reach him. He smiled down at her "Well therefore I have you." She shook her head and walked back to her place while putting another layer of her red lipstick on. She smacked her lips and put away her lipstick "Ok, let's do it." she said with an accent. The photographer took a picture and so Amalia waved her hand to signalize everyone else to come by for a picture. Khalid, who was married to Amalia's older sister Rosita planted themselves next to Amalia. Her younger brother Frankie knelt in the front while taking a gangster pose. Another brother who was older with Amalia was called Roberto but he moved towards the rest like a snail. His wife Rosa, who was actually called Rosita as well but they had to distinguish both so they called her Rosa pulled his hand to make her husband move faster. Uncles and aunts were en masse on Norah's mother side already but on her father's side she only had Connor. That's why Connor was fully integrated into the family by his own brother Nathaniel and his in-law family. Connor never knew if it was a cultural difference but the colorful and rich family life was really unfamiliar for him. It wasn't that he disliked it, he rather never knew how to handle it. That's why everyone tended to make him sit, eat and talk by force. He stood next to Nathaniel with one raised eyebrow, while observing the family trying to arrange themselves for the picture. That's when he felt a hand grabbing his arm. He looked to his side to see Norah  holding his arm with hers. She hit his shoulder with hers to tell him to look to the photographer. A smile formed on his lips and his face turned to the front. The night was almost over and the volume of the music was turned down. Since the wedding party was heading towards the end, most guests have left already. Uncles, aunts and cousins were most of the guests running around. 

Norah dug the car keys out of her purse to push the key bottom. Just then Freddie pulled them out of her grasp "I'll drive!" "Freddie!" "Come on Norah! I am sixteen, soon seventeen. I wanna use that license. Just let me drive, ok?" She supported her hand in her hip while tilting her head at him. He put on his puppy-eyed look before pushing the key bottom. She rolled her eyes at him and stumped to the passenger seat "Whatever!" He grinned in joy while turning on the engine. Norah looked out the window, hearing most of her family driving away while honking like crazy. She smiled widely at her vivid family whooing and honking around her. She leaned back into her seat and looked to the front. She saw Connor pass by their car and raising his hand at her to sign her a small bye. She closed her eyes in exhaustion and smiled back at him as a response. Just like the others their car was finally taking off. 

Norah opened her eyes to realize they were almost entering the bridge. She looked over at Freddie to check on him "You good?" she asked him in concern. He turned on the radio and nodded "Yeah. I'm good." She blinked a few times, before her eyes were about to shut down again. In between the moments she fell asleep it seemed like Frankie's head was facing the ground of the car. The music was vibrating through the car up to her body. She felt her body slowly move and over weigh to her way and before she realized she tore her eyes open and saw how Freddie's head was hanging over the wheel. Norah screamed through the music "Freddie!" Trying to pull him out of his microsleep. At the sound of her voice and her violent hit by her hand he right his head with big eyes and horror written all over his face. He turned the wheel around to the left but just then it was too late and the car hit the metal bridge rail, causing a colliding and rasping sound of metals grinding each other. Norah felt her body being pressed against her seat by the centrifugal force cause by the car breaking through the rail. Her left hand held Freddie's shoulder, while her right hand was holding the door handle. From a bird view the car seemed like it was moving through the air with wings and the water was reflected in Norah's eyes. The moment before, she felt her body detach from every surface, flying in the air. One moment, one blink and the sound of soughing water surrounded all space around her. The car submerged into the water and the heaviness let them go under.


	2. Chapter 2

People were gathered around the breach of the bridge rail. Mumbling and crying halled out into the air. Connor saw the mob and stopped his car in front of the others to get out and check on the situation. When his eyes caught some of his family members he rushed towards them. He tore Khalid's shoulder around to face him "What happened?" His face was pale and his lips looked sahara dry. Connor shook his shoulder again "Khalid!" he screamed. Khalid inhaled deeply "Norah..." Connor furrowed his brows in instant concern "What about Norah?" Khalid shook his head so heavily that his double chin moved "Norah and Freddie's car. They crashed and..." he said while his head turned towards the river. Connor's mouth fell wide open and his eyes looked around trying to find his brother. When he saw the tall man with grey hair, clenching his teeth he immeditley approached him to grab him by his arm "Nate." Nathaniel turned his face to Connor exhaling shakingly. The 48 year old strict military man who was older than Connor by eleven years looked like he was almost about to break into thousand pieces. Connor squeezed his brothers arm "Don't worry." His eyes moved over to Amalia whose eyes were filled with tears "Don't worry!" he said out louder. He let go of Nathaniel's arm and rapidly moved away with steps backwards. He tore his body around to start running towards his car. Khalid called behind him "Connor where are you going?" Connor didn't even stop "Doing something!" He responded while running.

The silence was calming her in a strange way. The water moving outside of the car felt like a warm hug and not like something that'd endanger them. Norah opened her eyes from the black picture to her dark front. She noticed her breath being heavy, just like her head felt. She tried to raise her head cautiously, looking to her side to check on Freddie. But the darkness wouldn't let her spot him. She raised her hand above her head, feeling the ceiling of the car to finally turn the car light on. She saw Freddie being unconcious. But before touching him, she rather called his name "Freddie! Freddie!" He slowly raised his head to face his sister. She sighed exaggerated "Freddie, you are bleeding." A gaping wound signed the temple of his head "You must have hit your head, damn it." His eyes looked drunk and his speech was slurpy "I am good." he said before falling unconcious again. Norah breathed heavily and looked around feeling the water pressuring itself into the car. The water reach up to her chest and the pressure started to build up. She looked to the side and put her hand on Freddie's forehead to hold him out of the water. She hissed in panic "Shit." Holding Freddie's head out of the water with one hand and trying to open her seat belt with her other hand. 

Connor was opening the buttons of his shirt while taking his black leather shoes off. Rosita screamed at him from the back. She and Khalid just arrived at the side of the river with their car. Parking behind Connor's car. "Connor what are you doing?" He took the jacket of his suit and his shirt off, showing his bare upper body "I am going in." Khalid arrived hastily "What do you mean?" He opened the button of his pants while facing the water of the river "It takes to long. I will go in." "But it's too deep." "No. I know this river. And I am a good swimmer." he said with definite confidence while pulling his suit pants down, stepping out of them. He fixed the water and ran towards it, raising his hands above his head to jump into the water looking like a beautiful whale. 

Norah held her face out of the water, steadily trying to face the ceiling while holding Freddie's head in the same position. She had no feeling for seconds or minutes but she guess it must have been a few minutes already. She kept trying to open her seat belt but something must have been stuck so she was unsuccessful. She called her brothers name once more "Freddie!" and he reacted to her voice "Thank god. Please stay awake." "Norah. I'm sorry." "No. It's not your fault. Things happen, just keep your head out of the water." she said when hearing a dull sound echoing through the car "Hold your head up Freddie." she said before disappearing into the water and seeing Connor outside of Freddie's window side. She immediatley reached her hand out to him and he signed at the car door. She nodded. Norah reappeared at the surface, seeing Freddie was about to pass out again. She held his face just like she did before, while diving her head into the water to see how Connor tried to open the car door with all the strength he could gather under water. Norah used her other hand to unlock Freddie's seat belt and with push she felt the click. She fastly reappeared on the surface once more to breath in everything of oxygen left in the car. The moment she did that the whole car was filled with water. She looked at Connor who touched Freddie's shoulder but reached out for Norah with his other hand. Norah shook her head. Half a second passed. Her air raised and she pointed at her brother. Connor's eyes looked over to Freddie and back to Norah. She shook her head and pointed at Freddie once more, pushing him in Connor's direction. Another second, felt like a never ending moment. Connor entered the car with his body, hovering over Freddie's seat and pulling Norah's head towards him by grabbing the back of her neck. His lips pressed against hers and slowly but steadily she felt her lungs being filled with oxygen again. Knowing she would survive another good minute. Connor let go of her neck and her lips, looking at her while pulling Freddie out of the car. Both were slowly disappearing in the depth of the water.

Connor quickly reached the surface, trying to swim on his back. He held Freddie and especially his face out of the water. One of the cousins called Erik jumped into the water towards Connor, taking away the pressure Freddie put on Connor. They arrived at the edge of the river and cries sounded up. Amalia ran, falling on her knees "Oh my boy." Nathaniel stood behind his wife holding his hands in a protecting position "God... where is Norah?" he said while pulling Connor's shoulder with strength. He brushed through his hair "She is still in there." Nathaniel started to open the buttons of his shirt when Connor put his hand on his brother's chest "What are you doing?" "I am gonna get my daughter." "No." "You are too exhausted." "No. I am not. I will go." he said before taking two deep breaths and running back into the water. Jumping into it just like in the first round.

Norah didn't think twice but tried to open her seat belt again. After assuring her once more that she was stuck in her seat belt she looked around in the car. Her hands touched over the glove box to open it. She searched through the things which started to flow in the water when she pulled them out the box. A life saving object reached her fingers. She grabbed the scissor, starting to cut into her seat belt. Oxygen bubbled left her nose and the pressure was built up to an unbearable point. At this point she knew she needed help. No more oxygen to leave, but water entering her body. She didn't know she could but her eyes started to burn. Tears, not visible in the sea of water. The pain was burning but after there was no more pain, she started to feel like she was floating. In fact she did. Her grip around the scissor loosened and her eyes shut in desperation not to face her surroundings. She drifted, slowly drifted far away at a safe place. Feeling warm and cozy. At that very moment Connor grabbed her lifeless arm pulling at it, before he noticed that she was stuck. His eyes were quick and he grabbed the scissor to cut through the last inch of seat belt which trapped her in that deadly metal. He grabbed her arm and shoulder, to pull her body out. 

This time Erik and tons of other people waited at the edge of the river, ready to carry Norah to dry land. One medic threw a blanket around Connor as soon as he was free. While carrying her lifeless body, her arm fell down hanging around like it was about to fall off. They put her down to the ground and one man in a dark blue jacket leaned over Norah to listen to her non existing breath. Next was the non beating heart "We have no pulse." Connor was standing in the back and the words and sounds around him began to became dull. Another paramedic attached electrodes to her chest. Immediate CPR was instructed to get her back to the living. They kept checking the monitor and her pulse after every couple of rounds. Connor was just standing there observing the scene in fully silence while people around him were whining, others trying to comfort the crying ones. A good amount of time and the exchange of paramedics performing CPR, one of the guys looked up shaking his head. Connor stood on the cold bare ground, his mouth hang open and his breath was steady. The other medic detached from Norah's chest and fell to the back to look at his colleague. He rubbed his eyes and sighed "We can't. There is nothing we can do anymore." He looked at his watch and back at his friend "Time of death... 2:14 AM."


	3. Chapter 3

A furious hand grabbed the paramedic's collar, pulling him up by it "Don't you dare to stop now. Keep going!" The man in the dark blue jacket shook his head while pushing Connor away "We performed CPR for more than twenty minutes. I'm sorry, I know this is hard." He pulled his hands off of him and sighed. Connor squatted down in front of him and whispered something into his ear. The man looked him back in the eye, looking like he was eaten up alive. He closed his eyes and turned around, positioning his hands on Norah's chest again. His colleague looked at him with question filled eyes. He put his body pressure on his wood stick look alike arms. Panting in the rhythm he pushed down on her chest, it looked like he crushed her rips into thousand small pieces. After the past twenty minutes one could have thought that there were no more bones to break, but the cracking sounds told a different story. Water dwelt over her lips like it did over a shaky well. Suddenly a movement of twitching shoulders, looked like out of a reflex, making the lifeless body look more alive than everyone expected. Eyes opened and fell shut heavily every now and  water was choked out with a big struggle.

Dull sounds entered her ears and the light of the night sky penetrated her eye lids, up to her consciousness. Unknowingly her eyes got steamy hot and burning water stung through her eyes, leaving her body. But there was no pressure, nor any lump in her throat building up. Her tears were effortless and fluent. Her body was moved and quickly transported to the hospital, but she didn't even think. She just was.

The room looked blank and sterile. One bed in the middle of the big shallow room was taken by the small figure looking rather pale than caramelly brown than she usually did. Mother Amalia sat on the side of the bed, caressing over Norah's hand. Connor stuck his head into the room, finally walking inside to simply stand in the door frame. He folded his arms in front of his chest and whispered in danger to wake Norah or disturb someone "How is she?" Amalia shortly twitched, before turning around. A soft and gentle smile drew her face "She didn't wake up yet. She is receiving 100% oxygen and she is being monitored 24/7 so there is no possibility of second degree drowning or other dangers... And thank you, for taking care of everything. You really didn't need to do that." Connor slowly stumbled into the room, putting one hand on Amalia's shoulder "No. It's nothing. If I could I would do even more." Amalia turned her head back to her daughter "You have done really everything." her voice started shaking "If there wouldn't have been you, she would have-" He squeezed her shoulder to calm her "No. She would have never. Don't even think about it." Silence filled the room and Connor walked around the bed to look out the window. A deep voice reached his ears "Connor," he didnt't know for how long he spaced out but then he turned around to watch his brother stand at the end of Norah's bed "Thank you." he said with a stable figure, facing him with big sincerity. Freddie appeared behind his father in a wheel chair. His head wrapped in white dressing material. He stopped in the middle of the two brothers and looked from the left to the right "Wow, so this is a moment of big emotional expression in the McDunn family, huh?" Nathaniel smacked his lips to break the words of embarrassment. Connor approached them, supporting himself  on Freddie's wheel chair "Why isn't she waking up though?" "The doctor said her body is really exhausted and that she is regenerating right now. In addition it's not clear... if there is any damage left. After she was without oxygen for so long. We have to wait for her to wake up by herself. So far her organs work by themselves." Her father rested his hand on the cold iron at the the end of Norah's bed. 

Connor tapped some coins into a vending machine. Loud grumpy sounds echoed out of the big old coffee maker. He went through that process once more and picked both coffee cans, walking back to Norah's room. After dozing off in the waiting room for a few hours, he gained consciousness, ready to check on his niece again. He stepped over the room threshold, seeing his brother and sister-in-law hugging each other while sleeping on the added extra bed in the room. He approached Norah's bed to take a seat in the chair next to her. He leaned back, drinking both coffees in a row since Amalia and Nathaniel were both asleep. His head fell back, staring at Norah. His gaze wandered down to her chest observing how it moved up and down steadily, a sign of her being safe and sound alive. He couldn't believe the state she was in. Before it was all shocking and rushed, but now were the first seconds he realized he was actually thinking about what happened. Norah actually fell into the deep water and she actually did die. While processing the happenings, his eyebrows furrowed automatically in sorrow. Connor wasn't a talky, nor an open guy, but he always cared for his niece and nephew. More than he would ever admit to other or himself. As he blinked at at the sight of Norah, his eyes caught her sight between his seconds of sleep. He lowered his face to her hand, touching it with hus cheek to feel the warmth of her body. Out of the darkness the slihouette of Norah's nose, mouth and open eyes appeared. Her mouth looked torn and her eyes looked cramped. Suddenly Connor's ears detected sounds of whimpering, which caused him to push himself out of the chair "Norah?" he leaned over to her, touching her arm with his hand. She simply twitched under his touch, reacting sensitive to everything around her. 

She tried to pinch her eyes close cause the small lights in the darkness of the night were penetrating her skin. Every sound, every touch even the air blowing upon her was new, yet old. It was unfamiliar, yet she knew and remembered what it was. Her laying in bed felt heavy and the pain slowly developing through started to become unbearable in some way. She wanted to form a fist but she felt her body being stiff, yet weak. The frustration about everything transformed itself in salty water drops, trying to find their way out through Norah's eyes. It was uncontrolably easy. Everything around her was hard to bear but her tears were something that just flood like a river. A touch wandered over something she supposed was her arm. Her crying slowly created sounds, she perceived as her crying. Her throat struggled to push something out and finally she pressed out sounds, not aware if they were words or not. Connor slowly leaned over her and his mouth  was moving. Her own crying oversounded his words, so she wasn't able to figure his words out. Only her own words tried to find their way out and she finally  pushed them over the edge "Send-" she said before her throat got clogged with a big lump. Trying to breath desperatley, she swallowed her tears "- me ba-" and once more she teared up "-ck." Before anything else she shut her eyes fully, falling back into unconsciousness. 

All three of them stood with questionmarks in their faces in the room. Amalia grabbed Norah's hand and kissed it in desperation "What? Why is she asleep again?" The doctor moved back from her and put on a weak smile "Good news." Nathaniel furrowed his eyebrows and his face turned red, he was about to burst, when Connor grabbed the doctors arm "Are you kidding me? What is good about her being unconscious again?" The doctor turned his body in Connor's direction "Look," he raised his hands in calming awareness "her waking up and talking is a good sign. It means that so far her speaking ability is still fine. For now we can assume that she is not in a bad condition. In addition it looks like she fell asleep again out of exhaustion. So let's wait and see. It won't take that long. Connor stepped away, knowing he was invading the doctor's space dangerously. He looked to the ground and rubbed his eyes in realization of the fatigue his body was experiencing. Amalia wandered into her husbands arms automatically, while he put a tight grip around her, trying to protect her from everything else coming.

Instinct tore her eyes apart, while the unfamiliar shade of light penetrated the thin layer of skin, which was protecting her eyes. Sounds dull and the mixed smell of hygienic sprays and rotting bodies was pungent. Her mind rapidly told her to shut her system down. And so she closed the small slits, falling into another round.  
She should wake up, her body told her once more. This time darkness was her companion and her eyes were slowly and steadily opened. Sound wear clearer and she must have gotten used to the smell. But when her eyes turned, up and down, left and right. Blurriness covered her vision. Go back, she heard herself command.  
Norah opened her eyes catching the small riffles on the ceiling. Her breath was even and flat. In and out. The sounds were clear and the smell was not distinguishable from herself anymore. She blinked, once, twice. She was back.

 


	4. Chapter 4

The typing sound echoed through the office, designed in modern silvery, grey and white colors, yet looking empty and shallow. Fingers crashed the board intensely, not detaching themselves from the small quadrant formed buttons. He didn't even give them one second of a break, eager to complete their task. Connor's eyes were glued to the screen, throwing back a bright light on his face. Some vibration crawled over the desk and reached the feeling senses in his body. He reached his hand out to his phone to swipe it to the right and put it on speaker "McDune here." A second of hesitation before a deep voice sounded through "Connor?" He stopped typing immediately while his eyes fell on his phone "Nate?" "Hey, how are you?" He blinked once or twice before he kept typing in a way slower speed though "Hi man. I am good, just working, you know. How are you?" he was dragging off his lips. Nate let out a slight cough "I am good. How are you?" Connor let out a short breath laughing "You literally just asked that." So did Nathaniel laugh at himself "Sorry. I am kinda foggy." "You really good?" "Yeah, it's just that I am calling cause of something particular." At these words of his brother, Connor dissolved from his work and leaned back while picking his phone up. He held it to his ear "What's wrong? Is it Norah?" Once more, he heard a cough from his brother on the other line "Yeah. The thing is, I know me and Amalia told you and everyone else that she is fine, but-" "What? Is she sick?" "No. She isn't sick. In fact she changed a lot." "How?" "It's like, she isn't the same person anymore. She doesn't laugh. She stays only in her room and she doesn't talk." Connor furrowed his brows while looking at this desk "She doesn't talk? How does she not talk?" "Actually, she didn't talk since." Connor's eyes and mouth opened widely "Not one word?" "No." "Why?" "We don't know. We brought her to the doctor and he said it might be the shock, but it's two months ago. In addition she just seems like-" he stopped for a second "What Nate? Tell me." "She seems like he has no will anymore. And we don't know what to do anymore. We don't want to send her back to college, but she packed her stuff already. And we don't know what might happen to her in that kind of a condition." "She can live with me." He shot out like a gun "What?" "Yeah, she can live with me." "Connor, we actually only thought of you stopping by her college from time to time since you are so close to her, but this is-" "Perfectly fine." "But, wouldn't that be too much? I mean-" "Nate, I know I am not showing up all the time and I don't talk a lot, but I am always there when you guys need me. So please, this is absolutely no problem. I would be glad to help out." "I mean, I will talk to Amalia, but this would be perfect. Thank you." "No problem brother." He hung up the phone, holding it in both hands in front of his face. He turned around in his chair, looking out the massive windows to let his eyes wander over the light filled skyline of the city. He intertwined the finger of his hands into each other, forming a bigger fist. He took a deep breath knowing, that he was riding himself into a load of problems. Having a teenager, who was about to die and now in obvious depression around, was making him worried already. Even though he knew Norah wasn't a teenager anymore, he couldn't help but perceive her in that way since she was his niece. Nonetheless he had no other choice than reacting the way he did. Normally he wouldn't offer that big of a help, but in this case he sincerely wanted to help out. Big time. 

He stood in front of the big white two floor house with a wide balcony to the front, covering any person from falling out by the silvery metal rail. Connor covered almost the whole silver door with the big door know with his broad shoulders. He followed his brothers movements, pulling out luggage from the trunk. His eyes wandered over to Amalia, sitting in the front seat and finally to catch Norah's view, sitting in the back seat. Having her hair combed to the back in a ponytail strictly. Facing the back of the front seat, not even flinching. His head slowly fell the the right, trying to figure out Norah's mood, thought or at least face expression. But in the end he wasn't able to know any of it. He didn't know it if it was the window, blurring her feelings or the shield she held up around herself. She exhaled and the door of the back seat opened. She walked around the car to pick up her cases. Her father quickly grabbed them instead. Nathaniel and Amalia walked Norah in front of the door, where Connor waited for them "Is it really okay for you Connor?" Amalia asked insecure "I am actually glad to have someone around finally." He pulled Norah's cases out of his brother's hands to put them down again and open the door "And you can trust me, I will take good care of her. But it's not like she is gonna need any care." He said while smiling at Norah, who simply walked passed him. He inhaled sharply, turning his head back to the couple. Both inhaled and exhaled deeply, before Nathaniel approached him one last time "Please, tell us even the smallest thing that seems alarming, alright?" Connor took his brothers hand to pull him into a hug "Don't worry." He turned to Amalia to hug her small figure lightly "I know, it's better than her being alone or with a roommate who doesn't know her. So thank you." Amalia pressed Connor's arm before letting go of him. He smacked his lips before nodding to assure them once more. Both of them slowly moved away from the house and he saw how Amalia's small hand grabbed Nathaniel's, looking like his big stature gave her all protection she needed. He stood in the big hallway, watching his brother and wife drive off before closing the door. He placed both cases next to each other in front of the big mirror, which decorated the long white wall. He walked into his house, trying to find Norah. On the right he took a peek into the wide kitchen with red kitchen equipment. But no Norah in sight. He kept walking along the hallway to pass by the spiral staircase and walk through the overly big entrance into the living room at the end of it. He saw Norah standing in front of the big and wide windows, leading to the cement flastered garden porch. Her back was showing to him and he let out a small cough to sign her his presence. But she instead didn't turn around. The bright light shone through the wide windows, reflecting her face in the glass. She just stared out into the garden, which had a pool right in the middle of it. Connor approached her by a few steps "Do you like the house? I let it design by an architect so it's unique." She turned around, letting her eyes wander over the bright white walls. His body, continuously turning into her direction "And your room will be upstairs. I -" he was about to keep talking, when Norah just walked out of the room. His mouth fell open. He couldn't believe  the person he saw in front of himself, was the same person she used to be before. He heard light steps walking up the staircase, so he rushed out to follow her upstairs to show her her new room. He followed behind her "Your room will be at the end of the hall on the left." When they reached the second floor, he quickly overtook speed to go ahead of her to lead the way. It's right diagonal of mine. See?" He opened the door to Norah's new room while pointing at his own room "We have a great view. Your room is smaller than mine, but I hope it's ok." Norah walked into the big bright room with a king size bed made of dark wood. Just like all other furniture in that room. She sat herself on the bed, tilting her head out the big window, just like in the living room, to look at the view Connor talked about. He entered the room with his hands in his grey fabric pockets "You have a bathroom here. But since this room was never used it is not overly done yet. There is another bathroom on the floor. But I will get yours done soon. At the other end of this hall is my home office and on the opposite of it is my reading room. " He clapped his hands into each other "So. I will leave you alone for now. But we will eat something later." he stepped back slowly, seeing how she lay down in bed before he pulled the door close. After some time Connor knocked on the massive dark door of Norah's room. He was about to turn the door knob, when she tore the door open. She looked him directly in the eyes waiting for his speech. At that moment Connor noticed, that that was the first time she really looked into his eyes after she entered this house. He tried to figure something out of them but he wasn't able to see something in the emptiness. Even though she stared him directly into the eyes, it felt like she was seeing right through him. "I ordered pizza. You okay with that." Her eyes fell to the ground and her feet moved tip toed out of her room, closing her door behind her.   
He placed a plate in front of her on the kitchen counter, where she sat on a high stool made of metal legs and a black leather cushion seat plus lean on the back. He put her a slice of pizza on her plate, sitting right diagonal from her "Alright, I hope tuna is ok since I didn't know what you liked." She picked the slice up, taking a big bite from it. Almost looking like she didn't chew but swallowing it right away.  They ate their food in mutual silence. Connor didn't feel like dragging people in unneccassary small talk. He observed how she ate a second and third piece, when she finally started to slow down a bit at least. He suddenly giggled up at Norah licking her fingers "You still do that?" He shook his head "You really love that greasy oil from the cheese don't you." Norah licked her lips, before biting them to simply look down at her plate. Connor suddenly reached out to her hand to cover it in his. He mimicked her behavior and looked down at the kitchen counter "Donn't worry." They stayed like this for a while, before he stood up to clean the plates. He passed by her while touching her shoulder "Come on, let's watch tv or something." He threw himself on the beige soft sofa and Norah planted herself right next to him. Connor turned the tv on "There is even a good movie on." he stretched his legs out in his now comfortable jogging trousers to place them on the white wood table in front of the sofa. Norah leaned back in the sofa, covering her tummy with her crossed arms. After some while he didn't even know when she suddenly let herself fall to one side, pulling her feet up to put them on Connor's lap. He looked down at the small feet, having absolute small toes. It hasn't even been an hour but she started to fall asleep already. He felt her cold feet with his warm hands, caressing them up and down to try to warm them. He threw a blanket over her and he himself watched the movie until the end before standing up to go to bed. He threw one last glance on Norah to assure himself she was okay. 


	5. Chapter 5

Connor ran down the spinning staircase in his grey suit and a case in his hand, risking to get dizzy by running in circles. Arriving at the end of the staircase he held himself a second to be sure not to faint. He quickly entered the kitchen to pour himself some coffee, his automatic coffee machine brew at exactly 6 am. He closed the cup, picking his case up again. Out on the hall, he quietly walked into the living room. He saw the blanket he threw on Norah on last night on the floor. Sleeking around the sofa he saw her in sound and asleep, just in another position. He picked the blanket up to throw it back on her. Slowly stepping away from her, he turned around to exit the room. 

As usual fingers hit the keyboard in lighting speed. Connor has always been a working animal and in the world of business and economics he found his place in between beasts who tried to get the last cent of money, no matter the price. He was good at playing that game, since he was one of them. A high peep sounded and a woman's voice talked "Mister McDunn, it's 7 pm already. And did you even touch your lunch?" Connor's eyes wandered over to the untouched plastic container and back to the screen "Yes?" The woman scoffed "Liar! Enough now, don't you have a home?" she asked and the smack of her lips echoed through the intercom. At that comment, Connor's mouth fell open "Shi- Norah!" he quickly got up, gathering some stuff "Eluise, I will go first, turn my computer off, ok?" "Yes sir." "And don't always stay as long as I do. On the long run it costs me so much money." "Money hungry bastard." was the last thing she said before turning the intercom off. Connor laughed while shaking his head. 

On the way back he stopped by some drive in to get him and Norah some food. He turned into the path of the garage when it automatically opened its gate. Parking the car,  he grabbed the paper bag and his case, shutting the car door behind himself.  "Norah!" he shouted through the house. He walked into the living room, to check if she was there. He realized she was still on the sofa in a deep sleep, he assumed. He furrowed his eyebrows and squatted in front of her to check her breath. He let himself fall on his butt on the fury white carpet to support his arms on his knees. He loosened the tight grip of his tie, before taking a long stare at his niece. He moved closer to the sofa, reaching his hand out to let his fingers strive over her hair lightly. He tried to remove every strand that was covering her face from visibility. He suddenly snapped out of the moment to quietly get up, organizing plates and cups. He was about to walk back into the big living room, when forks and knives slowly slipped off the plate to fall on the floor. They crashed on the mable tiles, causing an enormous sound in he living room. His mouth fell open, catching Norah's sight, sitting on the sofa with wide torn eyes almost tearing up. Her breath was quick and short, expressing how shocked she was. He raised his eyebrows, wondering what to do "No, no, no." He quickly walked around the sofa, putting the plates and cups on the wood table. He raised his spread hands in awareness "No, no. It's nothing. I just wasn't careful." Norah didn't turn around, but her body was visibly shaking. He climbed on the sofa with one knee and as it sank in, he slowly circled his arms around  Norah. One around embraced her shoulders as the other covered her waist "It's ok." Connor slowly put pressure on her body, trying to calm her down. And as the pressure increased, her quick breath slowed down. Her head slowly fell to the side and finally leaned back on Connor's chest. A long minute passed when Connor finally let go of Norah, who moaned up at the disentanglement. "Uh!" She inhaled and exhaled intensly, going through her hair with her fingers while turning around "I need to shower." she said. He nodded "Okay. I will warm the food up." He looked after her small figure disappearing into the darkness of the hallway. He tried not to interpret anything into her words but "That was a whole sentence." he said impressed by himself. 

Connor switched around the tv channels when Norah came by with wet hair, looking all clean and fresh again. She didn't look dirty before, but she definitley seemed more refreshed now. She pulled a plate in front of herself, while Connor put her a wrapped burger on her plate. His eyes almost cross-eyed, looking at her unwrapping her food. He kept switching the channels while checking Norah's reaction out "What do you want to watch?" she didn't answer but just chew on the burger while eyeing the changing channels "Horror? Comedy? A romance?" he finished off with a smaller getting laugh. Exhaling lightly he put the remote control aside "Alright let's do something classic." Keanu Reeves jumped through the screen with his long black leather coat and his black sunglasses. Connor got up once more, returning with a cold beer in his hand. He took a sip, put it on the table and was about to bite into his burger when Norah grabbed the beer bottle, taking a big gulp of the beer. He was shocked and exhausted at the same time "Norah you drink?" at which she took one more sip "Indeed you are old enough." he fake giggled nervously.  Actually wanting to tell her not to drink in her condition, but he held himself back. Knowing it might provoke or destroy something unwanted. The movie passed without any big happenings. Then Norah lay to her side, putting her feet in Connor's lap again, before slowly falling asleep. He took one of her feet in her hand and started massaging it with care. Promptly she awakened at his touch exploring her pressuring points. After quite some while she slided down to place her lower legs on his lap, pulling her pants up to signalize him to massage that part. He looked over at her "Yeah, you really enjoy this don't you? When you were young, I did this all the time for you." The movie was over and the next one came on after a small spot. Connor let his head fall back, facing the white and high ceiling, still massaging her calves. "You know I work way too much. I even forgot you were here. I guess I have nothing but work." he kept talking about his thoughts fora while, before looking down at Norah who simply stared at the Tv screen. He didn't know if she was listening or if she was even there in spirit, but he gave it a try anyways "You know if you ever want to talk, I am here." he sighed "or even if you don't want to talk. I am just here." he couldn't see it in an whole angle, but he was sure Norah's eyes reacted to his propose. He slowly removed her legs from his body to stand up and grab a blanket, covering her little body. He squatted in front of  her face to caress it. She just looked straight pass him, her eyes only glued to the television "Try not to sleep here." He walked away, turning the lights off before leaving the room "Class starts tomorrow." 

Connor's body worked like a machine and the workers in his body knew exactly when business time started. It was Exactly 6 AM and his eyes popped open, simultaneously to his alarm. He reached his arm out to turn it off and remove his minty colored silk bed sheet from his body. After a quick shower, he walked au naturel into his dressing wardrobe to put on a white shirt and a black suit. He looked back and forth between his different ties but suddenly decided it was not a tie, but a 'casual' day. He put something in his hair to brush it back with his fingers, quickly going out his room and down the stairs. He was about to walk into the living room when he passed by the kitchen, seeing Norah already sitting at the kitchen counter, sipping from a cup "You are awake already? Even before me? I am impressed." He walked around her to get a cup and pour himself some coffee. He sat down to the counter, laughing lightly "That doesn't lie in our family though. Well or maybe, your dad being a military man... maybe it does. But for sure not in your mum's side." She looked into her cup, as if she was trying to find something within it. Connor grabbed out some keys to hand them over to Norah "You can take my other car to school. And I will get you an additional credit card so you don't need to pay for gas yourself." He stood up one more time to get two bowls with some cereal and milk "It's different to start the morning with someone else together. And having breakfast together. I actually never eat breakfast." He poured her some milk, before eating his own cereal. Connor was never talkactive, but it seemed like Norah forced him into becoming a chatterbox. He didn't feel like silence was strange but he wanted to get Norah out of her shell. He took a big gulp from his coffee cup, walking to one of the red cabins to take out a thermo mug for coffee on the go. Before walking out the kitchen he turned around once more "I will see you tonight, okay?"

 


End file.
